English Third Division 1977/1978
Historical league standings at 20th January 1978
| Home | Away | Overall | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| # | Team | Pl | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | W | D | L | F | A | Pts | GD |
| 1 | Tranmere Rovers | 29 | 11 | 2 | 2 | 30 | 12 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 8 | 7 | 44 | 26 | 36 | 18 |
| 2 | Wrexham | 25 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 28 | 13 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 8 | 4 | 42 | 27 | 34 | 15 |
| 3 | Cambridge United | 27 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 33 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 17 | 28 | 14 | 6 | 7 | 50 | 36 | 34 | 14 |
| 4 | Gillingham | 27 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 25 | 12 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 23 | 22 | 11 | 12 | 4 | 48 | 34 | 34 | 14 |
| 5 | Preston North End | 26 | 10 | 2 | 1 | 29 | 12 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 11 | 11 | 9 | 6 | 34 | 23 | 31 | 11 |
| 6 | Peterborough United | 25 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 13 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 8 | 12 | 10 | 10 | 5 | 21 | 18 | 30 | 3 |
| 7 | Colchester United | 26 | 6 | 6 | 1 | 22 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 14 | 16 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 36 | 25 | 29 | 11 |
| 8 | Swindon Town | 26 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 31 | 12 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 14 | 24 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 45 | 36 | 29 | 9 |
| 9 | Bury | 26 | 5 | 7 | 1 | 19 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 14 | 19 | 9 | 11 | 6 | 33 | 32 | 29 | 1 |
| 10 | Shrewsbury Town | 26 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 27 | 13 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 14 | 19 | 10 | 8 | 8 | 41 | 32 | 28 | 9 |
| 11 | Chesterfield | 25 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 18 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 8 | 11 | 19 | 11 | 4 | 10 | 29 | 25 | 26 | 4 |
| 12 | Walsall | 26 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 17 | 11 | 2 | 7 | 4 | 12 | 18 | 7 | 12 | 7 | 29 | 29 | 26 | 0 |
| 13 | Exeter City | 26 | 6 | 3 | 4 | 18 | 14 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 13 | 18 | 9 | 7 | 10 | 31 | 32 | 25 | -1 |
| 14 | Chester | 25 | 6 | 5 | 0 | 18 | 10 | 0 | 8 | 6 | 10 | 25 | 6 | 13 | 6 | 28 | 35 | 25 | -7 |
| 15 | Carlisle United | 25 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 20 | 15 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 13 | 18 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 33 | 33 | 24 | 0 |
| 16 | Rotherham United | 25 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 14 | 12 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 17 | 26 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 31 | 38 | 22 | -7 |
| 17 | Oxford United | 27 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 18 | 12 | 1 | 4 | 10 | 17 | 31 | 7 | 8 | 12 | 35 | 43 | 22 | -8 |
| 18 | Port Vale | 26 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 17 | 13 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 24 | 5 | 12 | 9 | 27 | 37 | 22 | -10 |
| 19 | Sheffield Wednesday | 26 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 13 | 8 | 0 | 4 | 9 | 11 | 25 | 6 | 8 | 12 | 24 | 33 | 20 | -9 |
| 20 | Lincoln City | 25 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 15 | 17 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 11 | 19 | 5 | 10 | 10 | 26 | 36 | 20 | -10 |
| 21 | Hereford United | 27 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 16 | 12 | 0 | 4 | 10 | 4 | 23 | 5 | 10 | 12 | 20 | 35 | 20 | -15 |
| 22 | Portsmouth | 27 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 22 | 21 | 1 | 4 | 8 | 7 | 25 | 4 | 12 | 11 | 29 | 46 | 20 | -17 |
| 23 | Plymouth Argyle | 25 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 15 | 15 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 15 | 24 | 5 | 9 | 11 | 30 | 39 | 19 | -9 |
| 24 | Bradford City | 26 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 22 | 19 | 1 | 3 | 9 | 7 | 26 | 6 | 7 | 13 | 29 | 45 | 19 | -16 |
